New Ways of Thinking about Inclusive Environments: Fragrance Free Zones
Some of us who have been around a long time remember when people smoked at their desks. Non-smokers had no choice but to breathe the smoke-filled air, and if you were asthmatic or had other sensitivities to smoke, you were really out of luck. If you mentioned your discomfort, you were considered a whiner.
How times have changed! We take a smoke-free work environment for granted now. Smokers understand that they need to smoke in designated areas so that their co-workers are not disturbed by the smoke.
“In the last several years, a growing body of scientific evidence has indicated that the air within homes and other buildings can be more seriously polluted than the outdoor air in even the largest and most industrialized cities. Other research indicates that people spend approximately 90 percent of their time indoors. Thus, for many people, the risks to health may be greater due to exposure to air pollution indoors than outdoors.” And for some people, the chemicals we use in carpets, furniture, pesticides and even deodorants, perfumes, and hairspray cause problems. Multiple Chemical Sensitivities (MCS) has become a hot topic of late.
People with MCS can have severe and sometimes life-threatening reactions to chemicals found in many common products. Headache, trouble breathing, trouble concentrating, dizziness, fatigue, muscle and joint pain, irregular heartbeat, and seizures are just some of the symptoms that can result from even minute exposures. Symptoms may occur immediately or be delayed. Just a whiff of perfume, pesticide, or tobacco smoke could make a person with MCS sick for hours, days, or longer.
So please do not be offended if, for example, someone mentions that your perfume is adversely affecting them. You can help by believing them, even if the odor is faint or undetectable to you. Respond by working with Maricopa’s Legal Department and Employee Relations to create a healthy and respectful environment for all employees. By working together we can reach our goal of minimizing indoor pollution.
Here are several links for more information about sensitivity to odors and chemicals:
http://www.mcs-global.org/Fragrance-Free-EI.htm
http://www.healsoaz.org/
http://www.epa.gov/iaq/pubs/insidest.html#Intro1